Improvement in sheaf-droppers for harvesters



-S. G. KING.

7 sheaf-Dropper for Harvesters. N0.16O,270. Patentd March 2,1875

Fig. 1.

WITNESSES: \NVENTOK I.

THE GRAPHIC C0.PH 0T0 -LITH.39 8 4-7 PARK FLAOE,N.Y.

UNITED STATES PATENT ()rrron.

SMITH G. KING, OF ROUND GROVE, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT IN SHEAF-DROPPERS FOR HARVESTERS.

Specification formiu g part of Letters Patent No. 160,270, dated March2, 1875; application filed December 18, 1874.

To all whom it may concern; I

Be it known that I, SMITH G. KING, of Round Grove, in the county ofWhitesides and State of Illinois, have invented certain Improvements inSheaf-Gatherers, of which the following is a specification:

My invention relates to a device to be attached to grain-harvesters ofthat class upon which the binding of the grain is done, so that by meansof my machine the sheaves, as bound, may be carried with the machineuntil a number of sheaves sufficient for half a shock is collected, andthat such number may be deposited together out of the way of the nextpassage of the team, and convenient for shocking.

Figure l is a side elevation, looking a little 'forward, of a machineembodying my invention.

The parts A, B B, and G are the ordinary and usual parts of the class ofharvesters referred to, and are here shown merely to illustrate themethod of the attachment of my invention. A is an inclined plane, downwhich the grain is discharged from an elevator (not shown) running frombehind the sickle to the summit of such inclined plane. This inclinedplane is provided with a spout at its lower end, in which the unboundgrain collects, and from which it is taken by the binders to the tablesB B and there bound. It is at this point that my invention attaches,which is designed to deposit the sheaves in numbers convenient forshocking and I will now pro-' ceed to describe it.

D is a platform, extending from one of the binding-tables B to theother, and at about the same altitude as the tables B B. Two rods, 0 e,having eyes at each end, and about fiveeighths of an inch in diameter,are provided. One end of the rods 0 6, respectively, is placed on aniron pin inserted horizontally into the outer sides, respectively, ofthe end crosspieces of the platform D, and at a point on suchcross-pieces two-thirds out from the inner side of the platform D. Theserods, respectively, are then passed through a staple on the under sideof the tables B B, and fastened by a bolt passing through the other endof such rods up through the tables B B, the Staple being driven in afterthe rod is fastened to the table B. The pins in the cross-pieces fitloosely in the eyes of the rods 0 e, and thus allow of a rotary movementto the platform D. The platform D is supported on the pins thus insertedin the eyes on the rods 6 0, respectively, and such support is placedout twothirds of the width of the platform D, so that when the latter istilted or partially rotated outward it may return to its horizontalposition by its own gravity. A strong cord, (1, is attached to the outerend of the forward crosspiece of the platform D. This cord is passeddown to and through a stationary pulley fastened on the upper side andnear the front end of the lower platform 0. The cord is then passed upto and over a small stationary pulley fastened on the under side of thefront table B, and from thence the cord is passed down and fastened inan eye in the top of the stirrup a. The two perpendicular rods 1) b,extending from the lower platform 0 to the under side of the front tableB, pass, respectively, through a hole in each end of the plate formingthe bottom of the stirrup a. This cord is of such length that when theplatform D is in the horizontal position the bottom of the stirrup a issuspended about six or eight inches from the upper surface of the lowerplatform 0. The binders, two in number, standing on the lower platform0, and binding, respectively, back to back on the tables B B, as theybind, place the sheaves on the platform D until they have accumulated onthe platform D sufficient sheaves for half a shock, when the frontbinder places his foot in the stirrup a, and, forcing it downward bymeans of the cord-connection, tilts the platform D outward, anddischarges the sheaves that were on it in a pile on the ground, and theplatform returns by its own gravity to the horizontal position. Thestirrup a, plays vertically on the perpendicular rods 1) b. An iron rod,h, is attached to the front cross-piece of the platform D, so as tostrike the front table B and prevent the platform D from being tilted sofar outward as not to drop back to its original position. The cord maybe attached in the eye of this rod, dispensing with the lower pulley. Asthe platform D falls back to horizontal position it draws the stirrup aalso up to its first position. The platform D is provided with guards ateither end to prevent the sheaves from dropping from the ends of theplatform. The platform D maybe supported on long strap-hinges placedunder the cross-pieces; but the advantage of the rods consists in thefact that they may be sprung sufficiently laterally to be taken off thefixed pins, and thus the platform be readily removed and thrown on theharvester in passing through gateways or bars. My attachment is placed,of "course, on the side of the harvester, and the table B, to which therods 11 b are attached, designates the front end and the direction inwhich the harvester moves. The stirrup is placed under the front table,be-

. cause the binder at that table rides with his face in the direction inwhich the machine moves, and he can readily see when to discharge thesheaves, so as to have two discharges, or enough for a shock, at onespot.

The harvesting-machines of the kind referred tothat is upon which twomen ride and do all the binding-are rapidly supersedin g all otherspecies of reapers; and my invention is intended to save the labor ofone man in gathering sheaves. A still further advantage consists in thefact that this method obviates the old plan of dragging the sheavesthrough the stubble, thereby shattering out the grain, disarranging thesheaves or breaking the bands, and spoiling the sheaves for shocking andstacking, and leaving scatter- Y ings wherever a sheaf was thrown off orwas dragged through the stubble. There is a necessity in having theplatform tilted with the foot, as when but two binders do what wasformerly the work of five or six, their hands are busily and constantlyemployed in binding or making bands.

I do not claim the inclined plane A, the tables B B, nor the lowerplatform 0, as these are parts of harvesters now in use 5 but I claim asmy invention- The stirrup a, perpendicular rods b b, and cord d, incombination with the tilting platform D and stop-rod h, as and for thepurpose specified.

SMITH G. KING.

Witnesses:

GEORGE MEREDITH, W. Scorn: WARD.

